Forbidden Love
by Jess818
Summary: Enter 1864 Mystic Falls. A time of decadence and Southern charm . However, underneath the sophistication and class lies a feud that has lasted for decades between the infamous Gilbert and Salvatores. What will happen when two unlikely people fall in love?
1. Prologue

The sun rose over the town of Mystic Falls. The town itself was a reasonable size and prosperous due to the successful cotton businesses and the lively marketplace.

The general population lived in town whilst the high society of Mystic Falls lived in one of the many estates surrounding the bustling town, each adjacent to many acres of private land and cotton fields.

The governor of Virginia, Mason Lockwood resided in his nephew Tyler Lockwood's manor. His poor health forced him to leave the capital, Richmond and confined him to the Mystic Falls countryside. Unable to achieve much for the greater good of Virginia, Mason attempted to keep the peace as much as he could in Mystic Falls.

Though the general public knew little about Tyler, he was seen as rather queer and had an interesting mind with a bold imagination. He was looked down upon by his respectable peers despite his connections and social status. Nevertheless, Tyler was not affected by the other's opinions of his strange character.

The two families however who made Mystic Falls so notoriously well known where the Salvatores and the Gilberts. The Salvatores had been in a bitter feud with the Gilberts ever since they first came to Virginia.

Generations of people had lived through and experienced the endless conflict between the two wealthy families yet none could even remember what any of the arguing was about. One of the first things a Salvatore child would be taught is never to trust or even speak to a Gilbert and vice versa. Each family boasted acres of fertile farmland, numerous slaves and healthy children.

The Gilberts were an All-American family from old money who had inhabited Mystic Falls for hundreds of years. Lord Grayson Gilbert was a cunning plantation owner who like his wife Lady Miranda Gilbert, would jump at any prospect of improving his social standing or increasing his general wealth.

Their daughter Elena was regarded as one of the most beautiful young ladies in Mystic Falls and many beaux would regularly ask for her hand. Miranda and Grayson however would never let their precious only child marry any commoner.

Still, the most protective of the beloved girl was her cousin, Jeremy. Jeremy was extremely ill-famed for his quick temper and strong sense of Gilbert pride. He was one to cause many fights when provoked and had been in trouble with the law yet he still retained his ego.

The closest to Elena was perhaps her nurse, Isobel who had been her wet nurse when she was only a baby. The fiercely crude Isobel had long made herself too comfortable as part of the Gilbert household. When her services were no longer needed, so she took it upon herself to stay and act as a private maid to Elena.

The Salvatores were not unlike the Gilberts as they still maintained the dignity and formality of an upper class family. Originally from Tuscany, the family immigrated to Mystic Falls due to the financial opportunities that came with farming and selling cotton to Great Britain.

Like true Italians, the Salvatores were very family-oriented. At the head of the family were Giuseppe and his wife Katherine. Both were very loving and gentle people, especially Katherine. Giuseppe despite his affectionate side was a shrewd businessman when it came to his endeavors and at times could be increasingly stubborn.

They had one son, Damon, who was very dear to them as he was their only child. At twenty years old, Damon was seen by his female companions as extremely handsome and women loved him because of his passionate nature and intelligence. What these women did not know was that his obsession with love could sometimes drive him to become immature and impulsive.

Damon was thoroughly in love with the idea of love yet he had no knowledge of what true love actually was. He enjoyed the aspirations of flirting with women and filling their heads with pretty little things designed to make them swoon.

One of his only non romantic characteristics was that he was devoted and loyal to his cousin Stefan and friend Tyler. Stefan, after being orphaned by a fire in his home when he was a child, was taken in by his aunt and uncle. They had become very close and he had become an active member of the family.

Stefan was known for his honor, as he would never verbally or physically act out upon anybody for fear that he might disgrace the Salvatore name. Nevertheless he would occasionally have the tendency to have a fierce temper in private.

How good or kind any of these people seemed personally did not matter when it came to the rivalry between the two families as a whole, and on one normal day in the town of Mystic Falls in 1864, the feud was about to take new heights.

_**I hope you enjoyed it. This is based around Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'. Review if you would like me to continue! **_


	2. Act 1, Scene 1

**Disclaimer- I do not own 'The Vampire Diaries'. The show and its characters belong to The CW network and L.J. Smith. This story is based around 'Romeo and Juliet' which belongs to Shakespeare.**

It was a peaceful afternoon in the marketplace at the centre of Mystic Falls. As it was their day off, Matthew and Benjamin, two Gilbert serving boys were wondering aimlessly about the market.

Matthew was clutching his sword cautiously underneath his thin jacket. There had been an encounter that morning at Mass where the Salvatores had not yet left the church by the time the Gilberts had arrived.

This almost led to an argument between Grayson and Giuseppe inside the church. Luckily, the Salvatores briskly left before any more trouble was stirred.

Matthew was left very wary and on edge. "I swear, I shall not let them make a fool of us! If they cross us, draw your sword. Those Salvatores should beware. I hit hard when I am angry." He said arrogantly.

"But when are you ever angry?" Benjamin asked. Matthew was almost never in a bad mood.

"Those dogs from the house of Salvatore make me angry" he answered with a bitter edge to his voice.

"Like you would have the courage to stand and fight against them" Benjamin teased.

"Let me put it this way, if one of them had the misfortune to pass me on the street, I would take the side closer to the wall and let that filthy Salvatore walk in the gutters" he said fearlessly.

"Does that not make _you _the weakling? For you would be the one who would get pushed against the wall"

Matthew smirked, seeing an opportunity to make a crude comment. "You are quite right my friend, that is why maids get pushed against the wall, they are all weak. Therefore I shall push all the Salvatore dogs into the gutter and their whores against the wall" he said before bursting into a fit of laughter.

Whilst the two Gilbert serving boys amused themselves with their vulgar remarks, a Salvatore page named Henry and three other stable boys entered the market square. They had only intended to fetch a couple dollars worth of hay, but they had now turned hostile upon seeing their enemies.

"Look alive men, these scoundrels are of the house of Gilbert" Henry spat.

Matthew and Benjamin had now both caught sight of the Salvatores and a thick tension spread between the empty space.

"We should not take action yet. Frown as they pass by. If they start a duel, the law will be on our side" Benjamin said, holding Matthew back.

"I shall throw a stone at them, it is only a taunt. If they let it pass they shall be dishonoured"

The Salvatore servants approached closer whilst Matthew picked up a small stone from the side of the street and tossed it in their direction.

Henry quickened his pace and walked straight for the Gilbert servants.

"Do you throw this stone at me?" Henry said, trying to control himself and keep his dignity.

Matthew turned his body away from Henry, only just acknowledging him "I threw a stone" he answered vaguely.

"But do you throw it at me?" he said, his patience quickly decreasing.

Benjamin was finding this all too amusing. "No, I do not throw it at you. But I do throw a stone"

Henry had had enough with Matthew's games. "Do you wish to quarrel?"

"Quarrel sir? Of course not" Matthew said, making fun of Henry.

"But if that is your wish, I am your man. My master is as good as yours" Benjamin cut in. He was all too ready to fight.

"He is not better than mine"

"Well then, pull out your swords if you are men" Benjamin said to all of the Salvatore servants, taking it as an invitation. He drew his sword from underneath his jacket and Henry mirrored this.

Benjamin lunged for Henry but he dodged the blow. The three stable boys picked up large sticks that they had found lying on the ground for lack of a better weapon. They outnumbered Matthew yet he still had the upper hand due to the fact that he wielded a proper sword.

A considerably large crowd of spectators had gathered and the entire market square had become rowdy. They were watching what had now become a full scale duel between the servants of the two houses.

* * *

><p>Stefan was conversing with two female acquaintances when he heard the large crowd.<p>

"Come to the market square!"

"Look!"

"Chaos!"

"Excuse me, ladies" he politely excused himself from the conversation and ran in the direction of the army of people congregating around the market square.

"Sir, what is happening?" he asked one of the stall salespeople.

"I heard some of those Salvatores struck a nerve with a Gilbert fellow. Apparently it's getting pretty darn violent" he huffed. This was no doubt not the first time the two houses had stirred up trouble in public.

Stefan immediately began pushing past what seemed like hundreds of people to get to the battlefield.

Little did he know he was closely being followed by Jeremy, Gilbert's nephew who was always in the mood for killing.

Stefan drew his sword in protest and tried to get in between Henry and Benjamin who were nearly at each other's throats.

"Stop this you fools! Have you no honour? Put up your swords!" he shouted at them and the other participants as if they were children. Stefan managed to knock Henry's sword to the ground and out of his grasp.

Jeremy approached the scene of the fight slyly, with his pistol in hand. He did not have the patience for swords like the other men in Mystic Falls, instead favouring a gun for its efficiency in causing damage.

"You have pulled out your swords to fight with this worthless scum?" Jeremy asked his men. "Face me, Stefan. Face the man who will kill you"

Stefan was intentionally ignoring him until that point, trying to figure out a solution.

"I come only to keep the peace Jeremy. Please, put your weapon away and help part these men with me" he pleaded.

"How can you draw your sword and speak of peace? I despise the word as much as hell and all Salvatores. I will let you have it vile creature!"

Jeremy attempted to fire at Stefan, but Stefan quickly retreated before he did so.

Many citizens were getting involved now. "Use clubs!" "Beat them down!" "Down with the Gilberts!" "Down with the Salvatores!" they roared.

* * *

><p>"What is that noise?" Grayson yelled as he shoved past the crowds around the market square. Gripping his hand and being pulled along behind him was his wife Miranda.<p>

Grayson swiftly spotted Giuseppe and his own wife Katherine in the crowd. Giuseppe looked right back at him and drew his sword in a threatening manner.

"Where is my sword? Old Salvatore is here. He waves his sword just to anger me further!" Grayson shouted at his wife.

"You will not take one step towards him, I tell you" Miranda told him as if he were a child. She couldn't believe her husband had succumbed to such bad manners.

The two couples proceeded towards the brawl.

* * *

><p>The uproar gradually quietened as they started to hear the fanfare of the governor Mason Lockwood's procession of town watchmen.<p>

The frail old man approached the market square astride his stallion, he was clearly furious. Many of the watchmen had entered the crowd and disarmed the violent civilians. The crowd separated to allow Mason's horse through towards the clearing.

"You brutes! You enemies of the peace who turn their weapons against their own neighbours!" Mason shouted with all the force he could muster.

"You there!" he called and pointed to two civilians who were still at each others throats. When the attention was turned to them, they immediately ended their duel, afraid of being in trouble with the law.

"You are all beasts who satisfy your anger with fountains of each others blood. I will have you all arrested if you do not drop your weapons this very instant. Disarm!"

The majority of the crowd had dropped their makeshift weapons and walked away, pretending to be innocent.

"This is the third occasion on which your houses have initiated civil brawls" he spoke directly to Giuseppe and Grayson now.

"Yet again the good citizens of Mystic Falls have had to involve themselves to part you. I tell you now, if you ever cause any disturbance again, you shall pay for it with your lives. Do not be a fool and think I jest."

"Come, Gilbert" he spat to Grayson in a patronizing tone.

"Salvatore, we shall speak later"

"As for the rest of you, you have been given your orders but I shall say again. Keep the peace or be put to death" he said to the rest of the gathered crowd.

He turned away from the market square and began to depart at a slow pace. Grayson and Miranda followed, ashamed of their actions.

* * *

><p>Most of the crowd had disbanded and gone back to their homes for fear of getting caught in more trouble.<p>

Giuseppe and Katherine had caught sight of Stefan and grabbed his attention before he could depart as well.

"Nephew!" Giuseppe called and Stefan approached the couple.

"Speak nephew, who opened these old wounds again? Were you here when the quarrel started?"]

"The Gilberts were fighting your men before I arrived and I tried to break them up. The hotheaded Jeremy showed up, quite ready to shoot me and your men"

"He kept trying to attack me and more people joined in the fighting until Governer Lockwood apprehended us" Stefan explained to his aunt and uncle.

"Oh, have you seen Damon? I am glad he was not present at this fight" Katherine said, concerned.

"Madam, this morning before mass, I had a troubled mind and decided to take a walk by myself around the manor grounds. It was then, I saw your son also taking a walk. I tried to approach him but he spotted me before I could and ran off into the forest out of my view"

"I guessed that he, like I, had a lot on his mind and was trying to keep to himself. I was happy to leave him with his own thoughts" Stefan said.

"Yes, his boy Luka told me that he had seen him there many mornings. He said he was always in low spirits and would always return inside when the sun rose" Giuseppe added.

"He has been locking himself in his chamber, alone. He shuts out the daylight and is content for it to always be dark"

"Noble uncle, do you have any idea as to what could have caused Damon's strange behaviour?" Stefan inquired.

" I do not, he will not speak to me. He prefers to keep his thoughts to himself and he certainly keeps his own secrets"

Just then, Stefan spotted the man wandering through the cloth market stalls with a woeful expression implanted into his face.

"There he is! If you do not mind, please let us speak alone. He will either tell me what makes him so sombre or deny me over and over" Stefan said.

Giuseppe nodded "Come Mrs Salvatore, lets return to the manor"

* * *

><p>Damon passed many stalls, not particularly looking at anything. Completely blank.<p>

"Good afternoon, cousin" Stefan appeared from the sidelines.

Damon huffed "Is it still the afternoon?"

"Its just now 2 o'clock"

"The hours pass slowly when one is downcast. Was that my father who left in such a hurry?"

"Aye it was. What troubles you and makes your hours so long?" Stefan asked.

"I have not the thing which makes hours go by quickly"

"Are you in love, cousin?"

"Out of it" Damon groaned.

"Out of love?"

"I love one who does not return the feeling"

"Love is cruel. It is rough when one experiences it" Stefan said, trying to console Damon.

"What's worse is that love is supposedly blind, yet it can still make you do whatever it like"

"One would cry at how sad you are"

"Indeed, this is what love does. Now my sadness sits heavy in my chest. Love is a wise form of madness, goodbye cousin" Damon said, not in the mood to speak to anyone.

Damon proceeded onwards.

"Wait! I will go along with you"

Stefan caught up with his cousin and they began to walk whilst they spoke.

"No you shouldn't, I am not myself at this moment"

"Tell me frankly, who is the one who holds your heart?"

"You mean I should groan and tell you?"

"Groan? Of course not. Just seriously tell me who she is"

"If you told a sick man he 'seriously' had to write up his will, his condition would only worsen. 'Seriously' cousin, I am in love with a woman"

The woman that Romeo was so sick with love for was Caroline, Grayson's kinswoman.

"I inferred that when I guessed you were in love"

"You were right on target. The woman I love is beautiful"

"Fair targets are the ones that get hit by Cupid's arrow fastest"

"You are not on target there. She cannot be hit by Cupid's arrow, she is shielded by an armour of chastity. She refuses to be touched by the weak and childlike arrows of love. She won't listen to any word of love you utter, nor let you look at her with loving eyes. She is rich in beauty yet poor. God forbid if she would die, her beauty would be destroyed with her"

"She has made the vow to be pure for life?"

"Indeed and by keeping celibate, she wastes her beauty. She has made it impossible to pass on her beauty to any children she may have had. She has sworn off love, and I live only to tell the tale"

"Listen to me, cousin" he grabbed Damon's arm, gaining his attention. "Forget to think of her"

"Then teach me to forget to think!" Damon exclaimed.

"Let your eyes wander freely, look at other beautiful maidens"

"Fie Fie! In doing this I will only think of how much more beautiful my fair lady is. You can't teach me to forget"

"I will show you how to forget and if not, die owing you that lesson" Stefan promised.

Damon looked away in disbelief.

"Goodbye, cousin" Stefan said and proceeded to his horse to return to the Salvatore manor.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Be Good &amp; Review!<strong>


	3. Act 1, Scene 2

Disclaimer- I do not own 'The Vampire Diaries'. The show and its characters belong to The CW network and L.J. Smith. This story is based around 'Romeo and Juliet' which belongs to Shakespeare.

"Salvatore and I have both sworn an oath to the governor and we are under the same penalty. I do not believe that men at our age would be unable to keep the peace" Grayson said in a controlled manner.

He knew that it was an absolute lie. This recent encounter in the market square had only fuelled his hatred for the Salvatores.

However, earlier that afternoon he was forced to swear an oath in front of the governor and a room of witnesses. He would have to keep his anger in check.

Grayson was taking a leisurely stroll through the garden of his manor. His guest was Lord Alaric Saltzman, cousin to the governor, Mason Lockwood and a man of high social standing. He took pride in being able to converse with someone of such high importance.

His reason for being at the Gilbert manor was Grayson's daughter Elena. He had recently noticed her at a county ball and after meeting her, he was willing to offer his hand in marriage at once.

"Indeed you both have honourable intentions and it is such a shame that you have been in bad terms with each other. But now my friend, what say you to my offer?" Alaric asked, eager to receive a positive response.

"I can only repeat what I have said before. My daughter, well she wishes to have turned eighteen before thinking of the prospect of marriage. Girls these days, so strong-minded when they know what they want. Let us wait one more year before we start thinking she is ready to be married."

Grayson faced a dilemma. He wanted to respect his daughter's wishes yet he couldn't lose the chance of her being married to someone so respected and aristocratic. This confused Alaric, yes he was over fifteen years her senior but most girls married young in the South.

"Many young ladies marry before reaching their eighteenth year and are made happy mothers." Alaric replied.

"But we must be careful. Girls who marry young tend to mature too quickly" Grayson was running out of excuses "But by all means court and charm her. My permission is only part of her decision. If she agrees to marry you, you have my blessing. Tonight I am holding an annual banquet that we Gilberts have held for many years. It would be my honour for you to attend and see my daughter once again."

The gentleman continued their walk and proceeded to return to the Gilbert manor. One of Grayson's butlers was promptly waiting for the men to return.

"Logan! Here, take this." Grayson said producing a guest list from the pocket of his frock coat and handing it to Logan. "Take this around town and inform the appropriate people that they are welcome to my house tonight for our banquet"

And on that note Grayson and Alaric both entered the house for a cigar. Logan instead took to the stable and mounted the horse that was reserved for running errands and for the Gilbert households' butlers.

Logan forced the horse into a canter and slowly neared towards the town centre. Once he approached Main Street he dismounted his horse and opened the folded piece of parchment.

Once he looked down at the long list of names he felt extremely flustered. Why had he been sent out to find the people on this list? Him of all people, why had Grayson chosen the butler who could not read?

He could not decipher the words on the page and there was no way that he would be able to find the people on the list. 'You have to find someone who can read this, they will be able to help' Logan thought.

He took hold of the horses' reins and guided it as he began walking down Main Street, searching for someone who looked as if they had an education. Someone with money.

* * *

><p>"Come on, cousin. Put out one fire by starting another. Cure your old lovesickness by gazing upon another lady." Stefan said to his cousin, still trying to help him after his confession that afternoon.<p>

Damon simply walked ahead down Main Street and was taken aback when a man he did not know approached him and Stefan.

"Good afternoon, good sirs. I am sorry for the trouble but is there any chance that you may be able to read?" Logan asked the two.

"Aye, if I know the language and the letters. Stay man." Damon replied. Curious as to what the simple fellow so needed to read.

Logan handed Damon the list "Lord Franklin Fell and his wife and daughters, the countess Kelly Donavon and her lovely daughter Victoria, Lord Klaus of Savannah, Slater's widow, Lord Tyler Lockwood, Sir Jeremy, my fair nieces Caroline and Bonnie" and at those names Damon stopped reading.

"That is a pleasant assembly of people, where are they supposed to come?" he asked Logan.

"To the manor" he answered vaguely.

"Whose manor are you talking about?"

"My master's manor"

"Indeed it was stupid of me not to ask who he was"

Logan glanced at the large clock upon the town hall and realised the time. He was late and had many other duties that needed his attention in preparation for the banquet.

"No worry, I shall tell you so you have no need to ask. My master is the Lord Grayson Gilbert and if you are not of the house of Salvatore, you fine gentlemen are welcome to attend tonight. Good day."

Logan briskly mounted his horse once again and headed back towards the Gilbert manor leaving Damon with Stefan who had been listening intently to their conversation. The two started walking back to where Damon's page was with their horses.

Stefan had a smug smirk on his face. "Your beautiful Caroline whom you love so dearly will be attending Gilbert's banquet tonight, along with every other eligible lady in Mystic Falls. Go with me and you can compare her to other maidens. I swear, the woman who you believe to be as beautiful as a swan will look as unattractive as a crow."

Damon groaned "If my eyes were to ever lie to me like that then let my tears turn to flames and burn them for being such awful liars. The sun itself has never seen anyone as beautiful as she since the world began."

"You made the assumption that she was beautiful when no other ladies where around. But let your eyes compare her to others at this feast and you will no longer think so highly of her."

"Fine, I will go. But only so I can look upon the woman that I love." Damon finally said in defeat.

**Thank you for reading. **


End file.
